They are ladybugs or lady beetles. They are orange with black spots, about 1/8 to 1/4" long, and right now, by the thousands, they are looking for a warm protected spot to spend the winter after a summer of living in the trees. If you have a light colored house (they seem to prefer those), you may be overrun with them. They are crawling all over the sunny side of your house. They are getting inside through cracks around doors, windows, your garage door, and where wires and pipes enter your house. Sealing those areas with caulk or something similar will slow them down, but will probably not completely stop them. The good news is that the problem is temporary and shouldn't last much longer. Once they get inside they will overwinter in your walls and/or attic. They will not get into food, infest, or damage your house. In the Spring, the cycle will reverse itself (you may get some more inside then because they forget how they got in and some will wind up inside again) and they will leave to spend another summer out in the trees eating aphids, which are very destructive insects. Lady bugs a very beneficial, and the ones that get inside are best picked up with a vacuum cleaner. Don't squash them as they will leave a reddish orange stain and they stink when crushed. This is one insect problem that there is really no "Professional" solution to. Anything we would do, and we charge for it, you can do for free.
Hey Dad!! Great Blog! I've been wanting to ask you what all the little cricket looking bugs are that seem to be overtaking my office windows at work. They look like a cricket, but fly and seem kind of lethargic. Brownish in color, about the size of an average cricket, but more sharp edged...... I'll try to get a picture for you.
ReplyDeleteOh, and lady bugs............. are there ladybugs in my room!!! About 10-12 a day for the last week or so... harmless and supposedly good luck. I don't mind sharing space with them, but if they were moths............... ummm NO!
ReplyDeleteLinda, the bugs you're getting st work are probably "Box elder Bugs". Creepy looking, but totally harmless, and exactly the same situation as lady bugs. They're just looking for a warm, cozy space to spend the winter. If the bugs in your room were moths, I know you would be spending your nights in a motel.
ReplyDeleteDear North Forty Pest Control - stop with the blogs, already! Yeah, I know you're doing a real service to the homeowner who can ill afford to spend money on services not really needed. And you are attempting to limit the amount of toxins used with no effect except to the envirnoment. And you don't beleieve in long term contracts preferred by the 'big guys' that lock a client into costly, but ineffective 'services'. And every little critter that you trap out and can relocate comes to live here.
ReplyDeleteBut, can you spell M-O-R-T-G-A-G-E?? How about E_L_E_C_T_R_I_C B_I_L_L? Do ya think you can be a tad less truthful and informative?
Your Loving Wife,
Liz
bed bugs causes a lot off problem nowadays as they harm ours and also our property so it is very essential to get cure from this problem
ReplyDelete